Elle-Máijá Apiniskim Tailfeathers is a Blackfoot and Sámi writer, director, actor, and producer, from the Kainai First Nation. Distributed by Ava DuVernay’s ARRAY Now, Elle-Máijá’s The Body Remembers When The World Broke Open is an (almost) single-take masterwork of realism which explores domestic abuse, as well as ideas of class and privilege.
In 2019, TIFF deemed it a Top Ten Canadian Film for that year; and recently, Elle-Máijá AND HER CO-WRITER AND CO-DIRECTOR ON The Body Remembers, Kathleen Hepburn, were both offered membership to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Please tell us about your decision to become a filmmaker.
In a way, it was accidental. I was an actor first and became very frustrated as an Indigenous woman. I then took Indigenous Studies at school. One of our professors gave us the choice to make a multimedia piece instead of a paper, and I decided to make this (really terrible) documentary about representations of Indigenous women in film.
The experience of going into these Indigenous communities and creating this positive discourse felt really important to me. I learned how to properly operate the camera and use editing software. After that, I realised I wanted to continue to create work where I would have narrative agency and more creative control.
Which scene was your favourite to write?
I really enjoyed writing that taxi scene in The Body Remembers, when Rosie is giving Áila a hard time and teasing her. I remember having fun, laughing out loud, and feeling like I was offering some joy to these characters. That one’s a standout scene for me.
Which scene was your favourite to shoot?
I can’t really say I have a favourite. There’s a certain alchemy; these really magic moments during production, where all of your hard work, energy and love transform into this very real thing in front of your eyes with this big crew working so hard to make it all happen. All the elements of hard work, thought, and creativity, coming together.
“I’m learning to offer myself the time and space to trust my instincts while working and to listen to that voice at the back of my mind that tells me to try it another way or try it this way. To follow my gut in the moment, even if it means having to compromise in other ways.”
How autobiographical is your work?
The Body Remembers is inspired by a real experience that I had. Currently, the documentary I’m working on is about my community’s response to the opioid crisis. It features my community, my family, the people and the place that I love.
I made a short documentary about my father and his experience with a Sámi boarding school in Norway. I do try to come from a place of lived experience but I also hope to learn things along the way. My next project is an adaptation of a novella called Water by Ellen Van Neerven.
What is the hardest lesson you learned while writing?
Writing is such a challenging craft. A writer I admire is Gillian Muller, who is very active with the BIPOC community. She says that all writing is rewriting. It’s so easy to get bummed by the process and feel like whatever you’re writing isn’t good enough. Give yourself the freedom to mess up, then go back and fix things and make it better. Go easy on yourself and know that you can always go back. Also, that less is more; show, don’t tell.
What is the hardest lesson you learned while directing?
Not trusting my gut in the moment out of fear of not being able to get everything done that day. Early on, as we develop our craft, it’s easy to not trust your gut or instincts because you’re thinking about so many other things. Later on, watching the footage, you realise you should’ve listened to your gut more.
I’m learning to offer myself the time and space to trust my instincts while working and to listen to that voice at the back of my mind that tells me to try it another way or try it this way. To follow my gut in the moment, even if it means having to compromise in other ways.
Whose work is most exciting to you right now?
Mati Diop. Ali Abbasi. Michaela Coel’s I May Destroy You. Lisa Jackson’s Lichen.
I’m so in awe of Tasha Hubbard, just witnessing all of the profound effort and love she put into Nîpawistamâsowin while being this amazing community leader.
What is your go-to feel-good movie or TV show?
Anytime I need some comfort, inspiration, joy, and love, I watch Moonlight.
In what specific area would you like to see the industry change?
I think that we’re in a really critical moment where the industry now has an opportunity to reflect… the gatekeepers, those that hold the power to do the right thing. If they don’t, we’re going to continue to see cycles of harm against the BIPOC community, the LGBTQIA community. Those in positions of power need to be held accountable and do something positive.
[BLANK] is a f*cking perfect movie/TV show.
Moonlight is perfect. Ali Abbasi’s Border is a serious inspiration for my next feature; all the world-building and that realm of storytelling. I was so moved by Mati Diop’s Atlantics.
All of the films I mentioned above, basically!
The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open is streaming on the free CBC Gem app. It is also available to rent through AppleTV.